bât wis now unavoidable, they made preparation* for it ; and they had, of crofs-bows and other armed men, upwards of feven hundred, under the Command of a noble and valiant knight of Flanders, Called. fir John de Bucq, who was admiral of the fiemiih feas for the duke of Burgundy, and who had done much mifchief to the Englifh at fea* Sir John de Bucq, having ably and prudently drawn up his veflels, faid to their crews,—* My fair firs, do not be alarmed, for we are enow to Combat the Englifh, fhould the wind be in our favour ; but remember to make a running fight of it, and make for Sluys : if we can draw them on the flemifh coaft, we fhall have the beft of the day/ Some were comforted by thefe words, others not ; but they continued their preparations for battle, ahd the gunners made ready their bows and can-nons. ' The two fleets now approached each other. The Englifh had fome light galleys in which they had embarked archers ; and thefe galleys advanjpng, by dint of oars, began the combat with a fhower ôf arrows, which were loft ; for the Flemings Sheltered themfelves in their veflels and were Unhurt, while they failed on before the wind* Some of the crofs-bows,. out of arrow-fhot, let fly bolts, which wounded many, Mid prevented thofe in the galleys from being of any fervice. The large fhips» under lord Arundel, the bifhop of Norwich and others now advanced,' and ran in among thofe of Flanders, but they had not any advantage \ for the crofs-bow men defended them* feives 158